The present invention relates to an integral garment and back support, particularly to a jacket or vest with an integral cummerbund-style back support.
Many occupations and recreational activities require the participant to wear an outer garment for warmth such as a vest or jacket. Additionally, the same activities can require long periods of sitting or strenuous activity which can cause back fatigue and soreness. In many outdoor activities, an individual must be seated upright on a flat surface without a rigid back support, such as on the ground or floor, or in a backless chair, bench, saddle or the like. These positions can be uncomfortable because of the lack of support at the lumbar region and such discomfort will often occur after a relatively short period of time for persons with poor posture and/or weak back structures.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,086,759; 5,179,942; 4,175,553; and 4,833,730 all disclose back supporting belts having, in some cases, inner and outer belt portions using hook and loop fasteners for attachment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,412 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,704 disclose work aprons having integral back supports.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,080 describes a complex back supporting device included with an upper torso garment, wherein the back support is tightened by a wearer's knees when the wearer is sitting.
It is not known from these references to provide an outer garment having an integral or attached wrap around, cummerbund-style, back supporting belt.